The Grand Canyon

By: Emily Erlich

Research Topics! (Home) Resources page

How was it formed?

When and why

was it created?

What type of rocks can be found?

How is the land in the park currently changing?

What environmental issues are affecting your park?

Click a button, any button!

Topographic Map

Bibliography

How is technology used?

Special Features

US map

Or just click

through the slides

Resources page

This page has ALL of the resources on it!

http://www.nps.gov/grca/photosmultimedia/rangerminute.htm

http://www.bobspixels.com/kaibab.org//geology/gc_layer.htm#kl

http://www.ohranger.com/grand-canyon/preserving-park

How was it formed?

That’s so cool!!!

The Grand Canyon was formed by erosion. Over millions of years, the Grand Canyon was formed. With the help of rain and a few other sources, the Colorado River eroded the land to form the Grand Canyon.

MUCH more info.

More info on how it was formed

It began when, large rocks were compressed and broken down under a lot of heat and pressure. Then, hot magma got in the cracks and cooled. Over time, things like limestone, sandstone, ancient oceans, and ancient desserts piled on top of those rocks. Then, the North American plate and the Pacific plate collided, pushing the land up 7,000 feet high, to form the Colorado plateau. Finally, the Colorado River streams through the land, weathering and eroding the walls to form the Grand Canyon.

Special FeaturesSome special landforms in the Grand Canyon are

the Colorado River and the Colorado Plateau.

Look! The Colorado

Plateau!

Look! The Colorado River

The Colorado RiverThe Colorado River is constantly running around 242,000 square miles of land. It runs in the states of Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California. The headwaters of the Colorado River are in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. There, the altitude is 9,010 feet.

The Colorado Plateau

The Colorado Plateau is 130,000 square miles large. The range in elevation from 5,000 to 11,000 feet high. Animals and plants have adapted to the rock and harsh climatic conditions.

When and why was it created?

It was created about 5-6 million years ago, which is very young. Even though some rocks found date back to around 250 million years ago.

It was created because the Colorado River eroded a large amount of rock that is now the Grand Canyon. If we didn’t have the Colorado River, we wouldn’t have this great national park, called the Grand Canyon.

When did it become a national park?

When did it become a national park? (and why)

• The Grand Canyon became a national park in 1919. The park boundaries were set in 1975. The Grand Canyon was named a World Heritage Site in 1979 in recognition of the world wide value of its exceptional natural resources.

The Grand Canyon became a national park because of the thick amount of many kinds of ancient rocks that are preserved and exposed in the most beautiful way inside the walls of the Grand Canyon.

What type of rocks can be found?There are seven different large layers of rock in the Grand Canyon.  The first layer is a layer with Kaibab Limestone.  This layer is around 250 million years old.  It's made of sandy limestone.  The second layer is called the Toroweap Formation.  It is around 255 million years old and is yellow and gray.  The next layer is made with Coconino Sandstone.  It is about 260 million years old and has quartz sand, or sand dunes.  Next, is the Hermit Shale layer.  It's about 265 million years old and is made of soft rock.  The level after that is the Supai Formation.  It's average is about 285 million years old.  Next is Redwall Limestone. Then Temple Butte Limestone, and lastly, the Tonto Group. These are sedimentary rocks.

Lots of layers!

Rock Pictures

Rock Pictures

Limestone

Toroweap Formation

Sandstone

Hermit Shale Supai Formation

Redwall Limestone

Temple Butte Limestone Tonto Group

How Is Technology Used?

Industries are putting in better pollution control because there is so much pollution in the air coming from southern California, southern Arizona and northern Mexico. The reason this is important is because the pollution is getting into the Grand Canyon. That is bad for the animals who live there. It also could harm the tourists. Also, The Grand Canyon has pathways for people to walk on.

Sweet technology!!

How is the land in the park currently changing?

The rocks are still slowly eroding and weathering. The process of weathering is when rocks get broken down into smaller particles. Erosion is the process of the weathered pieces being carried away. If it rains, that water helps the Colorado River erode. The Colorado River is the largest source of erosion the Grand Canyon, though. eroding, though.

Eroding rocks

What environmental issues are affecting your park?

The Grand Canyon is facing floods. Also, factories in southern California, southern Arizona, and northern Mexico are putting out so much pollution. This is an issue because the pollution is getting into the Grand Canyon. That is bad for the animals who live there. It also could harm the tourists.

Topographic Map of the Grand Canyon. This is just part

of the Grand Canyon.

Map of the Grand Canyon in the U.S.

The Grand Canyon!

BibliographyBookCone, Patrick. Grand Canyon. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda, 1994. Print.WebsitesPreserving the Park | Grand Canyon | Oh, Ranger!" Your Complete Guide to the Parks | Oh, Ranger! Web. 01 June 2010. <http://www.ohranger.com/grand-canyon/preserving-park>."The Geology of the Grand Canyon." Bob Ribokas - On-Line Photography Portfolio (BobsPixels.com). Web. 01 June 2010. <http://www.bobspixels.com/kaibab.org/geology/gc_geol.htm>."Grand Canyon USGS Grand Canyon Quad, Arizona, Topographic Map." Topographic Maps & Aerial Photos for United States & Canada. Web. 01 June 2010. <http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=36.05444&lon=-112.13861>.PictureColorado Plateau. Photograph "Grand Canyon USGS Grand Canyon Quad, Arizona, Topographic Map." Topographic Maps & Aerial Photos for United States & Canada. Web. 01 June 2010. <http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=36.05444&lon=-112.13861>.Also, information from the Grand Canyon itself.

Pictures Websites!

http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=36.05444&lon=-112.13861

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http://stephenleonardo.com/gallery/images/waves.jpg

Pictures!!!!!!!!